Recent Comments by ahhgrr

Connecticut has lost, finally.

The UConn women's team is pretty cool. Back when the winning started for real, in the 93-94 season, I was in grad school there, and eating in the same meal halls as they did. Women's team ate real food for breakfast (bagels, fruit, juices), whereas the men's team tended towards one box per player of sugary cereal. Seemed to work for both teams that year, though.

Is Tice Toast?

Every time I've seen Moss play this year, he's been wimpy around the ball, lackadaisical in his routes, and petulant on the sideline. That is not the play of a 70-million-dollar player, nor does it inspire confidence from his teammates, no matter what platitudes they spew forth to the media. Culpepper looked good but inexperienced last year, but looks confused this year. No leadership on the field, no leadership on the sideline. Hosed season, coming right up.

America's Cup action begins.

I've been getting primed for this all summer, since it's going to be on TV, live. Those of you with digital cable or dishes can whip over to Outdoor Life Network to see the coverage (link to Louis Vuitton Cup portion of their site). I was at the St. Francis years and years ago for something or other with my father (we weren't members, I think a friend of his was, though). I was a kid, but I recall it being very swank indeed.

Lance Armstrong wins his fourth straight Tour de France.

After the doping allegations emerged, Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc said he was a "bit surprised'' by Rumsas' performance. "He didn't have the reputation as a rider so outstanding that he could climb the Tour de France podium,'' Leblanc told LCI television. Gee, thanks J-M. Folks who pay attention to cycling have been eyeing Rumsas for years, waiting for him to get into the Tour, due to the obvious talent he's been displaying. But it's gotta be the drugs. Maybe the Tour staff was jealous that they didn't have all the main contenders tossed out mid-race like the Giro? But yes, avogadro, *sigh*.

Lance Armstrong wins his fourth straight Tour de France.

I found that I generated excitement in myself by screaming at the TV watching ONCE essentially cower in fear in the mountains. I was expecting more of a battle for the top, really. Sigh. Next year, though, I'm already hoping for a really interesting race: Simoni in, Hamilton focusing on the Tour, Leipheimer focusing on the Tour, Ullrich back and (hopefully, please!) focusing on beating Lance. Beloki coming back stronger, more ready to attack. Rumsas coming even more into his own. Azevedo as a big threat. Sevilla in better shape. Especially Rumsas and Azevedo -- those two guys were real eye-openers, although Rumsas has been knocking on the door (and denied entry by his own freaking team!) for two years. And I will not forget Santi Botero, one of my favorite riders in the peloton. If he didn't crack on Ventoux, the entire Alpine section would have been vastly different.

Is Lance Armstrong An Athelete?

Upon further reflection, and the fact that there's a weak "Lance is the best" counterpoint article, I've decided that The Onion's editors have taken over MSNBC Sports, since the comparison between the two articles is much like some classic Onion Point/Counterpoint sections. (Such as Air Conditioning vs. Heater.)

This years Tour de France

Looks to be even more in the bag after today. At least Botero was performing more like he should be today. (Great rider, but I think he managed to lose some climbing greatness in becoming a superlative time-trialist.)

This years Tour de France

[ spoiler! spoiler! ]

For us Americans lucky enough to have the tiny (but cool) Outdoor Life Network on their cable systems, and the time flexibility to stay home all morning, Le Tour is LIVE, every day, as it unfolds. I, of course, have both of those things, and watched the whole thing unfold. BTW, in the post-race interviews, Lance said that if it weren't for time bonuses and the presence of Beloki, he was going to give Heras the win -- he even said wors to the effect of "I consider this Roberto's win anyway, he was incredible today." And it is too bad about Jaja not taking it all today, but it was great to see him out there giving it his all. Tomorrow's hillier, longer stage should be even more fun.

"Celebrity adventurer" first solo balloonist to circle the world

salmacis, the expulsion-ridden Giro this year, and the big bust last year aren't enough? Cycling has a problem, but it's so far ahead of any other sport, it's not even funny. What would happen to major sports in the US if even a shadow of the testing that occurs in pro cycling hit baseball, US football, basketball, or hell, even soccer? And I do think that more riders are clean now than in recent years. I also don't hold the past years under any glorious light -- they were riddled with strange substances, going back to the earliest days of the sport.

'Bout time this showed up here. Among the things the Tour has lost since the LeMond/Hinault rivalry is distance -- 1986 was on the order of 4000 kilometers, whereas this one is the shortest since 1905 (from cyclingnews.com). It will be VERY interesting to see if the ONCE team is as much of a threat to Armstrong as they appear to be, and if Kelme's wo stars can shake things up, too. So, Spain vs. Lance. Oh, and there's some crappy French teams in there, too.